


'cause no one saw me the way you did

by f_ckromeoandjuliet



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Not a lot tho, canon homophobia, so not a lot, some Bitty hate?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23533957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/f_ckromeoandjuliet/pseuds/f_ckromeoandjuliet
Summary: “You’re some kinda virgin? Aren’t you.”“Yeah, but I know of this great Chinese restaurant. It’s greasy, dirty, and bottomless beer for five dollars.” He lets out a breath relaxing all over. “Is it fine if we just talk?” Knowing he’s in a place where most people hate him Kent takes what he’s got and agrees to the date.***When Jack rejected Kent he tried to find a hookup. Instead, he found Brandon. (Also know as Fry Guy.) This is the story of two assholes falling in love.
Relationships: Kent "Parse" Parson/ Fry Guy, Kent "Parse" Parson/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	'cause no one saw me the way you did

**Author's Note:**

> the title is from the song Everyone But You by The Front Bottoms  
> This was supposed to be a joke but I fell in love with this relationship.  
> Also, I totally rushed as fast as I could to finish before the comic ended so I could say this is all canon so...  
> everything I wrote is 100% canon but was never mentioned because it was not relevant to Bitty's story.

It started with a rejection and proposition to a disgruntled law student. 

Jack had just told Kent to fuck off so being drunk and sexually frustrated he walked up to the nearest guy standing alone. “You into guys?”

He shrugs, “Kissed a guy once. Some Red Sox players are cute. Not much more to say.” 

“Jesus, this guy is frustrating,” Kent thinks to himself. “Let me cut to the chase. You’re cute, I just got rejected, and I need an escape.” The boy’s face goes the color of his baseball cap. 

“Um-”

“You’re some kinda virgin? Aren’t you.”

“Yeah, but I know of this great Chinese restaurant. It’s greasy, dirty, and bottomless beer for five dollars.” He lets out a breath relaxing all over. “Is it fine if we just talk?” Knowing he’s in a place where most people hate him Kent takes what he’s got and agrees to the date.

That night Kent fell in love for the first time since Juniors.

At the end of the night, Kent was sent back to Boston in a taxi with a goodnight kiss and a new number in his phone. The next morning as he rolled over in bed Kent had both a text and snapchat from someone simply named Brandon. Confusion then excitement rolled over him as Kent remembered the night before. He can still feel what it was like as Brandon kissed him in the middle of Samwell. Far beyond tipsy ambitions trumped caution as Brandon turned his hat backward to kiss Kent better. 

***

Over the next few months screwing fans in bathrooms turned into bedtime skype calls and sleepy conversations.

His teammates told him he was getting soft and when he got a Boston red sox cap in the mail he started to cry. The hat was white like the one he bought himself when he was drafted but it had the Red Sox logo in rainbow.

In return, Kent sent back a dozen turnovers from his favorite bakery and an Aces pride hat.

***

“I hate hockey players.” Brandon’s proclamation comes a half-second after Kent sees his mouth move. 

“Cool it, Sunshine.”

“I hate _college_ hockey players,” Brandon corrects before stuffing half a microwave meal in his mouth punctuating his sentence. A piece of chicken falls onto his bare chest. He picks it up and eats it. 

“Gross, Sunshine, but continue.”

“So the blonde winger-Is he a winger or is that a rugby term? Who cares. So the short little blonde,” he licks sauce off his chest, “saw my shirt. You know the one you got me with your name on the back.” That is how jerseys work. “And he glares at me for the entire time the barista is making his pumpkin peppermint extra whip cream cappuccino thing. I wanted to tell him to shove his problem up his ass but Zimmersomething was with him and I didn’t want to start trouble with the hockey players like I did the lacrosse team.” Kent snorts.

“You do know the blonde one, Eric, is totally in love with Zimmerman.”

“Unfortunate,” deadpans Brandon rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, and I was sort of dating Zimmerman during Juniors. Or I thought it was dating but it was only sex to him. I was totally gone for Jack.” Brandon’s face goes white.

“I-I just remembered I have a paper due.” The facetime call ends leaving Kent in silence. Kent calls him back but Brandon is suddenly avoiding him. 

He calls and it doesn’t even go to voicemail. Brandon declined it.

“This will not stand,” thinks Kent. He drags himself off the couch and into his kitchen where his landline is. Kent can count on one hand the number of times he’s used this phone on one hand. Most days he would get annoyed at having to pay for a damn useless phone but tonight he’s grateful that Brandon won’t recognize the number.

The longer the phone rings the more anxious Kent gets until he hears Brandon’s deep voice, “Hello?” It sounds like he’s trying not to cry.

“Sunshine, please don’t hang up. Whatever it is upsetting you, we can work through this.” There’s hesitation on the other end. 

“Sugar, it’s nothing.”

“It’s something.”

“No, it’s not.” 

“I love you, Brandon.” the words tumble out before Kent can think about them. “I care about you deeply.” There’s soft sniffling on the other end of the line.” “Brandon? Sunshine?”

“Are you sure?”

“With all my heart.”

“More than Zimmerman.”

“Not even a question in my mind. I love you more than anything else in this world.” Kent used to think about retiring and moving to the suburbs with Jack. Now he dreams of what’s going to happen after Brandon graduates and he’s tempted to order a ring. With Jack life together seemed like a possibility in ten or twenty years. Life with Brandon is now and forever. 

“Okay. Text me when you’re safely in Montreal tomorrow but for now, go to sleep. You must be exhausted.” it takes everything in Kent to stifle his yawn. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight. See you in a few months.”

***

The next few months and into summer pass in a blur. Aces get knocked out in the first round of playoffs, and Brandon drags Kent to his first Red Sox game. Summer is peaceful for the young couple and by the time Brandon goes back to college he’s deeply in love. That’s how he wound up at a Samwell Men’s hockey game. (Face the facts. Women’s hockey is ten times better.) It was a mistake. Like a huge mistake. 

Zimmerass and Brandon’s-personal-nightmare Knight (knight-mare) dropped chili fries all over Brandon giving him the unfortunate nickname of fry guy. (Knight doesn’t even look at him.) 

He understands Zimmerman’s love for his boyfriend and being proud of him but what kind of jackass doesn’t apologize for throwing food at someone.

Kent finds it hilarious.

“I don’t need you laughing.” Brandon has scrubbed his hair three times and he still feels dirty. One more time and his curls that he so lovingly flat irons every day are going to be a frizz ball in the morning.

“You’re cute when mad.”

“Then I must be adorable all the time.”

“You said it. Not me. Just text him and ask for an apology.” 

“I’m not texting him.”

“I’ll still give you his number in case you want to.”

Brandon doesn’t text him.

***

Brandon really wanted to study and quietly watch the hockey game. Quietly being the keyword. That was ruined when the hockey team showed up. Brandon almost got up and left but his stubbornness overruled. He was there first and he was not leaving the library until he could recite every constitutional amendment word for word. 

It comes down to the last period when Jack scores. “Fuck,” Brandon quietly whispers to himself being drowned out by the roar of the group. Brandon isn’t the only one that glares. 

In the last few seconds, Kent makes a dirty shot and scores. Even Brandon finds it a little overboard but he’s proud of his asshole boyfriend for scoring. A Russian guy on the other team picks him up and says something rude to him but it doesn’t matter. The point still stands. Aces won.

Later that night, Kent facetimes him. “That was stupid.”

“I was emotional.”

“I thought you were over him.”

“I am, but-” Kent sighs. “It was the first time we had seen each other since that night.” There’s hesitation in Kent’s voice. “I need to tell you why I was in Samwell the night we met.”

“You can tell me anything, Sugar.”

“I was going to commit suicide that night. I was irrational and wanted to see him one last time before I died.”

“Why did you talk to me then?”

“You were just a hookup. I had already driven all that way. Might as well get some enjoyment out of that night.”

“But instead we went out.”

“Saving my life. The bridge where we first kissed was the one I was going to jump off. I couldn’t find anything to live for until that night.”

“Are you better now?”

“You know I started therapy.” They didn’t talk much about it but Brandon knew.

“I’m glad I helped you. I love you and if you think anything like that again call me.”

“I will.”

“Can you be alone or should I stay on the phone with you.”

“You can hang up. Goodnight,”

Kent orders an engagement ring.

***

Kent and Brandon are in Seattle for the Schooners vs. Falconers game three. They’re staying with Brandon’s older sister, Katie, who is a diehard Seattle fan and is totally not in love with the captain who through a complicated turn of events and a messy divorce from a rockstar is her next-door neighbor. (She totally is and his name is Jimmy.)

She bought three tickets at rink level yet Kent realized that him being seen out in public (and watching the man that people rumor him to be dating) is a disaster waiting to happen.

Also, he didn’t feel well. Unfortunately, Brandon didn’t put that much thought into it. While Katie is in the bathroom Brandon ends up covered in fries and the Falconers win. 

“Babe, you have a fry in your hair,” Coos Kent. He’s finding so much enjoyment in this situation. “You go shower and I’ll find us a movie to watch.”

They end up watching Criminal Minds. All and all it’s okay.

***

The Stanley Cup final comes and no one expects the results. As side stories in another person’s heroic journey, everyone assumed the Falconers would lose. This would be Jack’s setback before he won next year but no. Life isn’t a fairytale. 

Well. If it really is a fairytale Brandon kinda likes dating the villain.

He’s laying in bed watching the Hallmark channel when his Twitter starts blowing up.

“What did you do, asshole?” Asshole is a loving term. A loving term that’s screamed into voice mail by a drunk and lonely Brandon. Kent went out to watch the game with teammates at a bar. Brandon doesn’t give a shit about hockey but he knows what he’s doing by the biased play by play being sent by his sister. He’s very much aware of the Falconers winning by the drunk Snapchats his sister keeps sending of her crying. Now he’s alone to witness a twitter meltdown.

**dr@ma queen** _@kpars_ : listen up hoes. I got three things to say here. 1) congrats Falconers for winning 2) all those fanfics of Jack and I being in love were somewhat true 3) go follow my boyfriend _@boston.bran_ because this is a #solidaritycomingout

Okay. That wasn’t too bad. Brandon can handle a few extra followers. It’s the next string of tweets after it that gets him.

**dr@ma queen** _@kpars_ : also this is a one-sided competition of who is better between Jack and I so I’m going to settle it once and for all by getting engaged first

**dr@ma queen** _@kpars_ : love of my life _@boston.bran_ marry me?

**dr@ma queen** _@kpars_ : everyone making fun of me can kiss my ass. I’m being dead serious here.

**Brandon Fellows** _@boston.bran_ : _@kpars_ 1) fuck you 2) come home asshole. I’m lonely 3) tell me where you hid the ring because of course I’m going to marry you (but only for your wealth)

**dr@ma queen** _@kpars: @boston.bran_ Already in an Uber. Ring in the sock drawer.

Brandon is left in shock. The ring really is in the sock drawer. (So cliche.)

Brandon doesn’t know what else he was expecting when a five-foot-ten torpedo comes crashing down on him. Kent has a black eye and a bloodied lip.

“What happened to you?”

“Guy on my team was being homophobic. It doesn't matter.” No Kent. It does matter.

“Okay. We’re discussing that when you’ve sobered up. I guess we’re engaged now?” 

Kent’s eyes light up. “I love you so fucking much. The ring had been hidden in my sock drawer for the last year. I wanted to go fancy with roses and candles and violins but you made a comment last week that made me stop and think. You said something about how you’re not fancy and how when you get engaged you want it to be in the comfort of your own home.”

“Were you listening to my phone conversation with my sister? I thought you were asleep.”

“I haven’t really slept in three years and of course I was listening in.”

“Fair enough.”

They curl into each other trying to figure out the plot of the movie they’re watching. Brandon switches to scrolling through Instagram. Luckily no one has figured out yet that his Instagram name is the same as his twitter handle. Well. One person has.

He checks his follow requests and it’s Jack Zimmermann. He accepts because there has to be some purpose to this other than he just really wants to see ironic thirst trap photos and mental breakdowns over how hard College is. He doesn’t expect anything more of it tonight because Jack is going to get drunk to the brink of alcohol poisoning. Maybe he’ll sober up some tomorrow or maybe not. It’s his time to party like the world is ending.

He’s a little confused when he then gets a message. 

**Jack:** hey. I just wanted to say congrats on the engagement. You two seem to go together well

**Brandon:** congrats on winning the cup. I was kinda rooting for you even though my sister is somewhat dating the captain of the Schooners. I don’t know a lot about hockey but you seem to be good at it. 

**Brandon:** Also I know what you mean by we go good together. It’s code for I’m just as much of a crazy asshole as him

**Jack:** thanks man!! Also Kent is nice off ice. You two seem cute together 

**Brandon:** NO! Kent is an asshole and this is dumb bitch erasure. Let me say that I’m aware we’re cute but he’s fucking evil. Now go and drink. You deserve it man.

The messages stop for a little while and Brandon assumes that Jack is partying like he rightfully should. But then they start again.

**Jack:** haha! I had to have Eric explain that to me. I also don’t drink.

“Sugar, Why am I talking to your ex and why doesn’t he drink?”

Kent rolls over, locking his phone so Brandon doesn’t catch sight of all the nasty twitter messages he’s going through.

“I can’t answer why you’re talking to him but he doesn’t drink because he overdosed when we were eighteen. You didn’t know that?”

“No? I don’t watch hockey. Besides, you don’t read my Wikipedia page and I won’t read yours.”

“Guess that makes sense.” Kent thinks over his fiancé's words. “Why do you have a Wikipedia page?”

“It’s irrelevant. Shouldn’t have said anything. Just help me get the gentle giant off my case so I can sleep.” Brandon locks eyes with Kent who’s giving him a look like a hungry wolf. “Or not. The point still stands.”

Kent takes the phone sending off a quick message. “It’s done. I told him that when it gets closer to the season starting we should meet him at that French restaurant you like so much.” 

Brandon doesn’t sleep any that not. (And not from stress.)

***

Brandon only interviewed as an excuse to go to the West coast for a week and get away from his nagging mother. 

Really. That’s all.

He didn’t want to fall in love with LA and Dodgers Stadium. 

Really. It was 100% an excuse to spend a week in Las Vegas with Kent then go for his interview and fly back to Boston.

Now he’s gushing about how much he wants the job and he didn’t even go home. He bought a car and drove the five hours from LA to Las Vegas. Imagine the shock on Kent’s face when Brandon showed up in a brand new Lexus. 

“Whose car did you steal and why are you here?”

“It’s mine. It was the cheapest one they had so don’t worry about it.” Kent starts to rethink everything he knows but before he can process Brandon continues. “I know you wanted me to get a job in Vegas but I love the feel of the Dodgers. I was offered a job upon graduation in December and I want to take it.” 

When they started to date Brandon said that he was going to be a corporate lawyer in Boston. He was always told from the time he was young that he was to work for the family company. Brandon also thought that they were temporary. Kent was a party animal and Brandon was. Well, Brandon _wasn’t_ gay. He still isn’t but the point stands. They were temporary until Kent found someone better and closer or Brandon realized he craved the attention instead of it being love.

Then it was love. 

And...Kent’s contract was up?

Kent had his normal lawyer look over everything and it seemed fine. Eight more years and a jump in pay. It was pretty standard bullshit. Well, he sent a copy to Brandon because he thought Brandon would enjoy it because law students are weird. It sparked something in Brandon and he changed his entire focus and worked his ass off so he would graduate at the same time. Now he stands on Kent’s porch wanting to be a sports contract lawyer for the LA Dodgers.

All Kent says is, “You must be hungry. I’ll make you something to eat.” That’s his way of putting off a conversation. Instead of disagreeing, Brandon goes to take a shower. It feels like a fight about to happen.

They had fought before. Both of them are hot-tempered and quick to judge making disagreements brutal. The last two times were over meeting each other's families. Kent accused him of being ashamed of their relationship even when Brandon explained that his parents were terrible humans. Brandon accused him of being a hypocrite when Kent refused to introduce him to his mom. They agreed they both hated their families. 

When Brandon walks back into the kitchen sitting on the breakfast bar is a bowl of white cheddar mac n cheese and a beer from one of Brandon’s favorite small New England breweries. Kent really tapped into those niche comfort foods so he could keep Brandon from not picking a fight. 

“So?” Kent questions. “Dodgers.”

“It’s only four hours away. During your offseason, you could live in LA with me. During my downtime, I could live in Las Vegas. We would see each other as often as possible. Besides, you’re going to be gone so often and I can’t stand to be here without you.”

Kent nods along like he’s thinking. “What about when we have kids? Where will they be?”

Brandon’s shocked by the questions. Up until this point he knew he was engaged and marriage is supposed to be forever but it was all some weird fairytale feeling. Now he knows that this is not some long term prank being pulled on him. Kent really truly does love him. 

“In LA or maybe not. That’s a bridge we’ll cross when we get there.” 

LA.

Kids.

Forever.

Damn.

***

The rest of the summer goes okay. Brandon never flies home leading to his mom to cuss him out about Kent. She told him if he wanted to be gay he should have picked a better guy out of her “very special phone book.” He threatened to uninvite her and her equally as annoying friends from the wedding and it was dropped. Next thing he knows there’s a brand new MacBook waiting on the porch when he comes home from getting groceries. 

Suck up. 

Now they're in Samwell trying to psych themselves up for their lunch date with Jack and _Eric_. Neither one of them wants to call him by a lame ass nickname so Eric it is. 

“Can we just drive back home? Have a nice time in my newly fixed up apartment.” Kent glares from how much he did not want to be reminded of the events of the night before. Turns out you shouldn’t neglect your apartment for an entire summer. Also, turns out Kent might be a sexy Bob the Builder?

“No. This is one of the only relationships from my past I want to somewhat mend. Our breakup was messy and I just want closure because he’s a super nice guy and I hate when there’s bad blood for no reason.” Brandon only squeezes his hand.

When they pull up to the restaurant Brandon jumps out to admire the car they parked beside. It’s a standard Mercedes-Benz sedan. 

“That’s Jack’s car he bought himself as a present for winning the cup. I saw pictures on Eric’s Insta of him wiping his ass all over the hood. It took all of me not to comment about how he should spread his legs wider so people could see the logo. Don’t want people thinking his boyfriend bought a plebeian brand like Ford or Chevy.”

“That would be tragic,” Brandon mutters as he looks at the car. “This looks like my first car. A newer version of course. I wrecked it a week after my sixteenth birthday. My girlfriend and I were driving up to a friend's lake house for a rager party. We’re going down this secluded highway right at dusk and she starts giving me head.” Kent doesn’t know what he’s listening to but he’s intrigued so he doesn’t stop Brandon. He also doesn’t know this is Brandon’s subtle way of impressing him.

“I was a little distracted and I didn’t see the deer until it was too late. The tow truck driver found us naked and somewhere within the hour my girlfriend had sent a picture of us to one of her friends and half of Andover had seen my dick. It was traumatizing.”

“I thought you were a virgin when we met.”

“With guys. I had a lot of weird sexual encounters in high school.” Kent stares for a solid thirty seconds before taking his hand in confusion.

“Let’s go inside, Sunshine.” 

Brandon and Kent scrunch their noses up in disgust at how domestic the other couple looks yet there they stand wrapped up in each other with hands around waists and shoulders. In essence, they are what they hate.

When he sees them Jack’s smile is soft and bright in a way that could never be fake. Eric’s is not. “So good to see you again, Kent.” The endearment of Kenny clings to the back of his throat in a very different way then it did when they were teenagers. Kent doesn’t mind as he bites his tongue so as to not call him Zimms. 

“Good to see you too, Jack.” He’s let’s go of Brandon and puts out his hand for a handshake, but Jack stands up pulling him in for a hug. Kent can still tuck himself under Jack’s chin but it’s different. “I missed you so fucking much.” Brandon quietly sits down sharing a look with Eric. For once in the three years they’ve been running into each other they agree on something. Whatever is happening in front of them is for the very best of everyone. 

Finally, the two exes break apart and sit down. Jack’s warm smile has a tint of sadness as he turns towards Brandon, “Nice to finally meet you. Heard a lot about you. Seen a lot about you.” They both look away in embarrassment. Having NHL star Jack Zimmerman see your dick bulge on your finsta is not cool. 

“Don’t trust anything Knight says. He’s just jealous that his granny loves me better.” Kent did not know that they were friends with each other.

“What about Zac?” His face lights up causing Kent to look over to Eric who is oblivious of the chaos about to go down. Zac Fellows brings out the party animal in people.

“You’re the dude Zac found at an alumni thing and tried to give my phone number to. He would have taken you for himself but I don’t think his husband would have liked that. I’m definitely adding you to our cousin group chat. You’re now an honorary member of the family.” 

Kent chimes in, “I really don’t think that’s a good idea. Jack might find your cousins a little intense.”

“He put up with you. I think he can handle himself.” Jack and Eric look between themselves not knowing what to do as they think they’re about to witness a fight. They’re not because this is loving teasing. “Just for that, I’m adding Mr. NCAA openly gay captain here. He would enjoy our thirst.” Don’t mention that it’s about Bad Bob’s ass. Zac and Brandon are obsessed over his ass. He doesn’t instead turning his attention to Eric. “Congrats on the captaincy. I know a thousand people have told you this but you’re making a lot of people proud. I would have never been that brave if put in your position. You could catch me hiding forever to avoid the backlash.”

“Thank you.” 

The air has turned cold as Jack and Kent stare at each other wondering who will bring up their past first. 

It’s Eric who breaks the silence. “The service is so slow today. Brandon, come with me to the bar to order some drinks. We’re definitely going to need alcohol to survive this.” Brandon always left Jack related trauma to Kent’s therapist so he has no clue what’s going down. Unfortunately, Eric is all too aware of what sparked this. 

When alone Jack speaks. “Sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry about? You fell in love with a cute little blond who was willing to kiss you in front of everyone.”

“You would have.”

“I would have what?”

“You would have kissed me in front of everyone.”

“What the fuck Jack. I’m engaged.”

“Congrats again.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t pull that nice guy bullshit. No. I would never kiss you.”

“I mean if things were different. If we had been drafted together.”

“If you had admitted that we weren’t just a hookup? Jesus, Zimms. This is the conversation we were having when you overdosed. I’m glad that we grew up because the guy I dated would have lived in the closet his whole life despite your parents and uncles knowing. I can’t believe I lost half my family when we broke up. I can’t believe I thought you’re parents were my parents and why did I think we were going to get married?”

Is Kent on the edge of breaking down? Yes. Does the fruity cocktail Brandon gives him to loosen him up a little? No, but he does enjoy getting drunk, and it’s a start. 

Brandon whispers in his ear, “I’m here, Sugar. Sunshine is here.” 

The only thing Jack can muster up is, “Sorry. It was never meant to go that far.” The table is basked in awkward silence when their food arrives. Then Jack breaks the tension with more awkward tension. “Would you have come out if I hadn’t?”

“Now you’re just trying to be a prick about it.”

“I’m just curious.”

“The answer is no. You can live in the fantasyland of Providence but Vegas is different. I got in a fucking fistfight with one of my guys over you coming out. Half my team despises me and if I hadn’t just signed a new contract my ass would have been fired. While you’re getting interviews with Advocate and Sports Illustrated I’m living through hell.”

“You didn’t have to come out.”

“There was zero plausible deniability. The rumors followed me into my career while you could shrug it off. First, you were Bad Bob’s broken son who everyone felt sympathy for then you had a pretty little girlfriend. No one even considered that you were bisexual. It was always straight or gay. Me, on the other hand, couldn’t hide. I tried getting a girlfriend but it looked as fake as it felt. I even looked and talked like I was gay. I’m short and my voice is a little too high pitched. It’s all fucking bullshit and the system always favored you over me.”

“You could have called. I would have listened.”

“Last time I wanted to talk you rejected me.”

Jack quietly whispers to himself, “Why was I in love with you again?” He sighs knowing he deserves some of this. “I meant this summer. You could have called me this summer.”

“You were happy. I didn’t want to ruin that.”

“Is there any way to make up with you?”

“Let’s just forget about our past. Hi! I’m Kent Parson. Captain for the Aces and the other openly gay player.”

“That’s how you would introduce yourself?” asks Brandon very bitchily.

“Not everyone can be a high school theatre legend like you, Sunshine. I’m doing my best to improve here.”

“Hockey players,” groans Brandon, causing a snort from Eric.

“This is my very mean fiance, Brandon.”

Maybe it’s because he grew into adulthood playing along with Kent’s antics, but Jack gives in. “I’m Jack Zimmerman. Yes, I am related to him before you ask. This is Eric, my boyfriend. Everyone calls him Bitty. Nice to finally meet you. You’re shorter in person.”

“Those are fighting words,” Kent chuckles as they shake hands. 

Their friendship is nowhere near repaired but it’ll get there someday.

***

“Congratulations, Sunshine. You did it.”

“I really did it,” Brandon chokes out as he grips Kent for dear life. “Thanks for coming.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Kent had to beg and plead to be in Samwell for this. He has a game in Montreal tonight and if he doesn’t get on a plane in an hour he’ll be scratched from the next week of games. It’s worth it though to see Brandon graduate. 

The kiss Brandon gives him is soft in a way that tells every single thing he’s feeling. Graduating law school is weird in the fact that he’s spent eight years on this campus. 

His best memories were in the library or the office of the head poli sci professor or the bridge. His best memory was definitely on the bridge where he first kissed Kent. 

It just feels weird leaving a place that feels like a second home. Good thing he’s moving to the west coast. His new job said he could work from Las Vegas for the first month until life calms down a little bit.

Brandon and Kent are going to build a new life where they can be themselves. 

“I love you, Kent.”

“I love you too.”

“You should get going so you can catch your flight. I’ll be in Vegas when you get in.”

“One more thing.”

“What?”

“Do you wanna have a courthouse wedding when I get back?”

“Nothing would make me happier. I love you, Sugar.”

“I love you too, Sunshine.”

***

Kent has always hated his birthday. 

Brandon’s mother insisted they have a real wedding.

Those two facts combine to make a Fourth of July wedding. 

“Stop it,” Brandon whines as Kent spins him around trying to dance even though they’re drunk off their asses. “People might stare.” Kent stops.

“PEOPLE MIGHT STARE! THIS IS OUR WEDDING!”

“Touche. I just want to eat cake in a corner, Mr. Parson.”

“Whatever, Mr. Parson.”

They laugh like they’re the only ones in on a stupid joke. Maybe they are. 

Kent used to think he was going to die alone. Who could love him? 

Now he knows that he’s going to spend the rest of his life with Brandon.

“I want a baby for my next birthday.” His words cause Brandon to stiffen before he relaxes again.

“Okay. I’ll start on the nursery.”

“Okay.”

This is Kent's best birthday yet.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on Tumblr @lostwithnointernet


End file.
